PLS STAHP: Punkee’s Hitlist Of Television’s Most Hated Characters

Television has gifted us with some truly wonderful characters, the kinds we look forward to watching and welcoming into our lives. But on the opposite end of the spectrum are the Ross Gellers of the world.

The kind of characters, that on paper we are supposed to root for, but in actuality, they grate on ya nerves so much you find yourself ready to throw your TV set straight into the sea.

Enter Netflix’s original offering and widely panned series Girlboss. The show is actually not all bad, it’s just that the whole thing hinges on spending far too much time with its leading character Sophia, and – I’m not overstating this, but – she is the worst person in the world. She represents all that is bad. She’s rude, entitled, ignorant and is just physically painful to watch.

The immense hate-ability of this character got us at Punkee inspired to revisit some of our fave TV shows. Those which feature some truly loathsome and unlikable people – we’re not necessarily talking villains here, some of these characters don’t even mean to be so awful. And in most cases, our hatred is not entirely justified. These characters just bug us like hell.

Girlboss

Sophia

Starting with the worst, and oh gawd, she is the worst. White privilege on a platter.

Game of Thrones

Littlefinger aka Petyr Baelish

He manipulated the other characters like puzzle pieces, but on the plus side he met a spectacular end at the hands of Sansa.

Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life

Rory Gilmore

Rory was annoying enough during the original seven seasons, but in the revival, she became absolutely insufferable. From her flailing career to her love life, 30-year-old Rory needs to get her shit together.

Riverdale

Archie

This dude is absolutely toxic. He floats about, breaking hearts in the process and then laughs it all off with his bedroom eyes and cheeky grin. Betty & Veronica: run away as fast as you can.

Summer Heights High & Jonah from Tonga

Jonah

Sure, we all remember laughing at this clown in high school. But homophobic slurs and the same damn punchline just aren’t that funny the 50th time around. Jonah on Summer Heights High was tolerable, but on his own show he was painful to watch.

How I Met Your Mother

Ted Mosby

Make no mistake: Ted was the unspoken villain of HIMYM. He was straight-up OBSESSED with Robin, despite her constant rejections. Guess what Ted, Robin had plenty of chances to choose you and she didn’t. This makes the ending even more infuriating.

Orange Is The New Black

Piper

Hating Piper should be an international sport. Bring on the next season of OITNB, and batter up. Five seasons in, and she is still beyond the worst.

Offspring

Jimmy Proudman

Gah, fucking Jimmy. Just buzz off and let the rest of the Proudman fam live in peace.

The Walking Dead

Rick

It was one scene that inspired a world of memes, and we would never say the word ‘Carl’ quite the same. But its creator and the lead of the zombie-fest series has become increasingly annoying to watch. Why is Rick always acting like such a Rick?!

Girls

Marnie

Yes, Hannah can be annoying AF, but Marnie rapping Kanye West might be the worst thing that’s ever fitted inside a television screen.

Love

Gus Cruikshank

It’s hard to choose which character on Netflix’s original series Love is worse. Mickey is also for the most part immensely unlikable herself. But Gus’s continued patronising attitude and smarminess give him an extra edge.

The Big Bang Theory

Leonard Hofstadter

How this show still exists is besides the point, but the worst thing about it is most definitely whiny/annoying/ condescending Leonard. Penny, you can do better.

Kath & Kim

Kim Craig

It feels almost criminal to have Kimmy on this list but she definitely falls in the love to hate category. But we can’t forget about her treatment of poor Sharon.